Beef Raw Cat Food

Cats are obligate carnivores, Big Dog Raw Food Diets for Cats are formulated to be higher in meat and lower in plant material. Big Dog Cat Food is also higher in particular amino acids that are essential for cats to consume in their diet - arginine and taurine. Because cats don’t produce these amino acids the way dogs do; which is why they need higher levels in their diets.

The transition from kibble to raw can be long and challenging, we recommend a very slow transition. The primary reason for this is to avoid upset stomachs but also because rejection of the food is to be expected. Give your cat the time and space they need to figure out their new diet. That being said, you do not want to leave it for more than 24 hours without eating something. Cats need to eat frequently as fasting is unnatural to them and could induce a case of Hepatic Lipidosis (feline liver disease).

Find our thorough transition guide for cats here: Transitioning to our Big Dog Raw Diet for Cats

Our Big Dog for Cats range consists of mixed protein diets that provide all the macro and micronutrients your cat needs to be healthy and happy. These include protein, amino acids, taurine, healthy fats (including omega-3 fatty acids), moisture, antioxidants, probiotics, prebiotics, fibre, phytonutrients, active enzymes and essential vitamins and minerals. Mixed protein raw food diets, most closely represent an evolutionary diet and the predominant protein source in each product represents the flavour of that product.

For more information on each product, see our products page for cats.

We generally recommend our food is suitable for kittens from 12 weeks of age, whichever comes first. We recommend feeding kittens 4-7% of their body weight.

If your kitten was weaned onto a raw diet, you can generally transition straight to a 100% Big Dog Diet.

If your kitten was weaned onto a cooked or processed diet (canned food, dry food, cooked rolls) then we recommend to transition more slowly.

A raw food diet is very different to a processed cooked diet and any sudden change in diet can create stomach upsets and gradually transitioning helps to minimise this.

Please follow these guidelines, whilst monitoring your kitten's stools. You should begin to notice smaller, less smelly stools as you transition towards a 100% raw food diet. Loose stools are OK during the transitioning period, but do make sure there is no persistent, watery stools.

Day 1-3: 20% New Diet 80% Old Diet

Day 4-6: 40% New Diet 60% Old Diet

Day 7-9: 60% New Diet 40% Old Diet

Day 10-12: 80% New Diet 20% Old Diet

Day 12+: 100% New Diet

The younger the kitten, generally the easier they are to transition. If you have an older cat or a particularly fussy kitten, please refer to our transition guide here.

Read more information on raw feeding kittens.

Taurine is an essential amino acid in cats and must be obtained in adequate amounts in the diet to prevent deficiency.

According to the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), the daily dietary taurine requirements for cats for growth and health maintenance is 0.20% (dry matter) per day and we easily meet these needs.

Chicken - 0.07% (as fed) - 0.24% (Dry Matter)  

Turkey - 0.08% (as fed) - 0.30% (Dry Matter)  

Kangaroo - 0.07% (as fed) - 0.26% (Dry Matter)

Beef - 0.11% (as fed) - 0.38% (Dry Matter)

Combo - 0.11% (as fed) - 0.39% (Dry Matter)

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The only time you may wish to supplement with additional Taurine would be during gestation and lactation. Feeding a few chicken hearts additionally per day is a great natural way to achieve this.

In short, yes! We have tested our dog recipes for their taurine levels, an essential amino acid for cats that must be obtained through their diet, and they are well above the minimum requirement for cats. While our dog recipes have a higher amount of plant material than our cat recipes, there is no nutritional concerns with rotating our dog recipes in your cats diet if your cat prefers these.

The exception here is our Kanga Single Protein Diet for dogs. Our Cat Kanga recipe is a mixed protein diet and more suitable for cats nutritional needs than this low fat diet for dogs with allergies or who need to lose weight.